The 145th annual Kentucky Derby is just days away. Here are some fun facts to impress your friends with. Thanks to Town & Country for these fun facts.
- People will eat 32,400 shrimp.
- 120-thousand Mint Juleps will be consumed at the race.
- The Kentucky Derby trophy weighs 3½ lbs.
- The Derby is also referred to as 'The Run for the Roses' because the winner is awarded a blanket sewn with over 400 roses post-race. This blanket weighs about 40 lbs.
- Over $150 million in wagers have been placed over the last several Kentucky Derby races.
- Horses must be three years or younger in order to compete.
- The 2018 event set the record for the wettest Kentucky Derby in history, with over 2.31 inches of rainfall.
- 9000 scallops will be consumed at the race.
- Bill Shoemaker has ridden the most Kentucky Derby horses (26) in history.
- Diane Crump was the first woman jockey to ever ride in the Derby; there has yet to be a female winner, but Shelley Riley came the closest in 1992 when she came in second.
Want to add some Derby flare to your menu? CLICK HERE for our Mint Julep sauce recipe.